Capri Everitt, Around The World In 80 Anthems

There’s special people around the world who set out to make a difference in the lives of others. These people who reach out to help in some way range from, movie stars, to your local store owner, to kids. Sometimes people want to help, but don’t really know how or where to start. In Canada lives a young lady who has a heart as big and bright as the sun, she too wanted to help. Capri Everitt, is this young lady. Capri is eleven years old and she has taken a stand to help make the world a better place for orphans.

Worldwide it is estimated to be 140 million orphans according to UNICEF. This is a huge number with many of them having nowhere to go, no shelter, no food, only living on the streets and surviving from hand outs, or worse. No country, no matter how advanced is free from orphans living unsafely, or from hunger. Capri decided she wanted to help some of these orphans; help them have something to eat and a safe place to stay. “I thought the worst thing in the world would be to not have any parents. To be alone to have to get food for yourself, to not know where you will stay or sleep, to not have a sense of security” says Capri. This was the beginning of what would become a great adventure for Capri and possibly, a little better life for a few orphans worldwide.

Capri has been singing since she was five years old and loves all types of music. She loves how you can express yourself in different ways. Songs are a way of connecting people, it helps them feel something meaningful. An anthem is something special for every country, it helps to unite that country, and the people of that country feels proud when they hear it. Around The World In 80 Anthems was a brilliant way to connect with people, and help unite people for a cause. The adventure Capri was about to set out on was her mom’s idea, but the whole family had their part in it.

Around The World In 80 Anthems had lots of support from her family and others. Her mom worked to book the places for her to sing. Her dad was in charge of social media and her little brother was the blogger. They asked the charity SOS Children’s Villages to book their stays in many of the SOS villages around the world. Through social media,and interviews around the world they gained a lot of extra support.

Capri may have sung a big part of her life, but didn’t know how to sing nor speak all of those languages. The only languages she could speak or sing at the time was English and French. To make this work she had to learn all of these songs in the correct language before they left for the journey. “When I was learning all of these anthems, I would try to find people from each country to teach me so that I was confident that I was pronouncing everything correctly” says Capri. She says the Chinese anthem was probably the hardest to learn because it is extremely complicated and hard to pronounce.

There may have been a few challenges to learning so many songs, but the adventure would be well worth the effort. In most of the countries where she sang was at the SOS Villages with the orphaned and abandoned children. Sometimes there would be other events where Capri would perform as well. In countries that did not have SOS Children’s Villages, she would sing at a famous festival or landmark, whatever her mom was able to organize. Every anthem singing event was special in it’s own way. Along the way singing the anthems, Capri also met some wonderful people.

Every country had people who Capri would meet and never forget. A few people that stands out for her are, Mr. Clark from South Korea, Eleni from Greece, Alois and Hechtah from South Africa, but this is just a few, the list is far too great to name them all. Capri appreciates the help and kindness Mr Clark, Eleni and Alois showed her and her family in their countries. Capri says she loved South Africa because of Hechtah. “She was a thirteen year old girl who was so amazing and inspiring. She herself was an orphan and had never met her family. I interviewed her for my school work and I asked her what her one wish would be. She said that it would be to know her family” says Capri.

All of what Capri has done around the world has made for an incredible journey. “When I was singing my 80th anthem in Washington DC, I felt the strongest feeling of accomplishment I had ever felt” says Capri. She knew all of the hard work that her and her family had done, had definitely paid off. “We knew that we had made a difference to all of those kids that we had met and they had made a difference to us” says Capri.

While out helping the orphans, Capri received another opportunity. About two weeks prior to getting to India, Capri’s mom got an email from Maati Baani asking if she would be part of the Heal The World video. The Heal The World video is made up of kids from all around the world. Of course she accepted, and while in India she met Maati Baani and recorded the song. Capri also got to meet and become friends with one of the other kids in the video, Sparsh Shah. It will be kids like these that will bring everyone together around the world, with peace, love and understanding.

Around The World In 80 Anthems has been a huge undertaking and has consumed much of Capri and her family’s time, and continues to do so. “Right now 80 Anthems has kind of taken over my normal life now” says Capri. Right now they are currently making a documentary about their journey and recording a soundtrack. Capri wants to keep singing and speaking around the world and also keep raising money for SOS and other charities. She dreams of becoming a UN Ambassador. “I want people to know that you have to work hard if you want to make a footprint in history and really make a difference to so many people who have got much harder lives than you. That’s what I want to do” Capri says.

So many people are unable to help themselves for one reason or another. It is people like Capri who gets up and gets out to make that difference for these people. Not everyone is capable of helping like this either. It takes a special person, one that has a passion for people. Because of Around The World In 80 Anthems there are a few more orphan kids who can rest a little easier, and knows they have friend that is looking out for them. It is not necessary to personally know Capri to see she has a heart full of love. She is driven by that love, that inner light, and without doubt every kid she meets and talks to sees that love and light. Capri is hope for them. Little by little Capri is doing her part to heal the world.